Will Wade Finds Peace at NC State Ahead of NCAA Tournament

DAYTON, Ohio — Will Wade's first season at NC State could easily be summed up as eventful, to say the least. Now, as he watched his team warm up the day before a First Four matchup against Texas in the NCAA Tournament, the coach appeared to be at peace with his new situation. After operating as one of the nomads of the sport for the previous few years, he feels it's time to settle down.

"This one at NC State has been pretty smooth. For better or worse, I've done this five times now, so you get a little bit used to it. I'm tired of doing it, so we don't want to do it anymore," Wade said Monday in Dayton.

Making transitions smoother

Will Wade, Ven-Allen Lubin — Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade with forward Ven-Allen Lubin (22) in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

NC State marks the fifth program Wade's been the head coach for, having made previous stops at Chattanooga, VCU, LSU and McNeese State. Wade found himself exiled from the coaching ranks in 2022 after he was fired by LSU amid a looming NCAA investigation stemming from an FBI wiretap issue. Those days are long gone, as the introduction of Name, Image and Likeness collectives and revenue sharing wiped those past transgressions away.

He redeemed his name in a two-year stint in Lake Charles, La., leading the McNeese State Cowboys to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments. The plan was never to stay there for long, something the school understood. Still, Wade left the program in a better place than he found it and the Cowboys made the 2026 NCAA Tournament without him around.

Will Wade and McNeese Stat — Mar 22, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; McNeese State Cowboys head coach Will Wade talks to his team during the second half of a second-round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Wade found joy again in coaching and felt as though lessons were learned from his past transgressions. His growth was enough to convince athletic director Boo Corrigan to hire him at NC State after the Cowboys bowed out of the NCAA Tournament and Corrigan moved on from Kevin Keatts just a season after a Final Four run in 2024.

A little under a year later, the two men arrived in Dayton, somewhat unexpectedly after an up-and-down first season, with hopes of making another run. Still, Wade is in for the long haul at NC State, even after rumors of a potential Baton Rouge return swirled for a few weeks. Wade debunked those quickly at the ACC Tournament.

Mar 16, 2026; Dayton, OH, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade speaks with the media during a practice session ahead of the first four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

"Is the job open there? No," Wade said. "Let me be very clear: I am excited at NC State. I was hired at NC State to do a job. This wasn't going to take one year. I've already met with our administration about next year and some of the changes that we need to make and some of the things that we need to do to put this program where it deserves to be long-term."

Rather than let drama fester for an extended period of time, as another new LSU coach did when he decided to take over the football program there last winter, Wade got out in front of it and fully committed to his current project in Raleigh. Now 43, he has a family. Moving them again would be hard for any parent, especially with the weight Wade already carries on his shoulders.

Time to make a run

Wade is no stranger to Dayton. As a member of the VCU staff under Shaka Smart, he was part of a run to the 2011 Final Four that started at UD Arena in the First Four. His NC State group is there under very different circumstances, but he hasn't lost hope for another run starting in Southern Ohio.

"This season hasn't gone exactly how we wanted it to go, but we've got an opportunity to end it on a positive note," Wade said Monday. "End it the right way. We haven't exactly taken advantage of a lot of opportunities that we've had during the season, so hopefully we'll take advantage of this opportunity and finish it off a little bit better."

Knowing that Wade has been in this situation before creates confidence for his players, too. While disappointed that the road in March starts in Dayton after a 20-win season, the opportunity stands for several players who came over with NCAA Tournament experience to make one final push with Wade. For others, it's their first chance.

"He's been here. He's seen just about every outcome. He's been in the First Four," freshman guard Matt Able said. "He's been in every situation. He knows what it takes to win and what it takes to keep going. ... He went from First Four to Final Four, so it's one of those things that I think this team has the ability to do even greater things and I think having him as the leader is a great thing to have."

Wade coached with a ferocity that he had shown at moments, but not consistently, in the team's quarterfinal loss to Virginia in the ACC Tournament. It's clear that March has arrived for him and he wants to prove a point that he's in the right place for the future. A win over Texas on Tuesday would go a long way in telling that story.